President William Ruto will on April 15 personally launch construction of the Suneka Airport, ending years of delays and setting in motion a project aimed at opening up the region to commercial air travel.

The upgrade will turn the existing Suneka Airstrip into a fully operational commercial airport, with works expected to take eight months.

“The government has allocated Ksh400 million for the works, ensuring that financial constraints, which had previously delayed the project, are no longer an obstacle,” the project brief states.

Plans involve extending the runway and modernising passenger and cargo facilities to meet commercial aviation standards.

The revamped airport is expected to improve regional connectivity, support Kisumu International Airport, and reduce reliance on smaller airstrips such as Kabunde in Homa Bay.

The project is part of a wider plan to expand Kenya’s aviation network, which also includes the proposed Narok Airport.

Efforts to upgrade Suneka date back to former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

While land acquisition challenges had earlier forced officials to consider a new site, the government has now settled on redeveloping the current facility.

During his three-day tour of Kitutu Chache, Kisii County, President Ruto also announced a Ksh300 million Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) station to be built at Ikonge in Nyamira County.

The station is intended to improve local access to the national rail network and further link the region to the country’s transport infrastructure.

Local leaders say the airport will be a game-changer for trade, tourism, and investment once complete.